SHIRE 5 MONTROSE 0

It was yet another case of five-star Shire as Montrose became the latest team to feel the force of the team’s revival of fortunes.

Colin Cramb struck to give the home team the lead at the interval, although the first half was both evenly-matched and competitive.

But from the moment Cramb struck the second Shire goal two minutes after the break, Jim McInally’s men moved up through the gears and left their visitors trailing in their wake.

Two goals for Brian Graham, taking his tally for the season to eight, and a fifth from Michael Bolochoweckyj after just 63 minutes has Shire fans demanding a sixth. It never came but it wasn’t for the want of trying.

Shire made one change to the team that knocked First Division Livingston out of the Scottish Cup the previous week. But it wasn’t the one the fans were perhaps expecting.

Paul Hay they knew would be absent, serving a one match ban following his red card against Stenhousemuir. But instead of Craig Donaldson filling the vacant place, coach McInally gave the nod to Gary Kelly.

Montrose, beaten by Clyde in the cup a week earlier, included former Shire favourite David Craig at the heart of their defence. The Gable Endies were the last team to beat Shire, back on September 20th, and boss McInally had warned his troops that this game was far more important than winning any cup-tie.

With the battle between third and fourth, Cowdenbeath and Dumbarton, falling foul of the weather the rewards on offer to both Shire and Montrose were increased.

With Rodgers, Cramb and Graham all included Shire had the flexibility to play with three up front or with five in the middle. And they certainly made the better start.

After six minutes Craig brought down Rodgers on the edge of the box and the Shire striker caught the Montrose defence sleeping, taking the quick free-kick from David Dunn but hitting his effort just wide.

Rodgers came even closer three minutes later, taking a flick on from Eddie Forrest and sending a first-time volley which Greg Kelly in the visitors’ goal had to tip over the bar.

Montrose responded on 12 minutes. One-time Shire signing target Roddy Hunter took in a cross from the right and cracked in a shot from the 18 yard line which had Jamie Barclay scrambling across his goal to push the ball wide for a corner which came to nothing.

And some clever midfield play them created a chance for Hunter after 21 minutes but he elected not to shoot and after the Shire defence had only half cleared their lines the ball fell to Chris McLeod who blasted it well over the bar.

Dunn’s free-kicks always seemed to carry a threat and there was evidence of that on 28 minutes when he floated one in from 40 yards which  Bolochoweckyj headed goalwards although Kelly made a comfortable save.

Shire should have broken the deadlock on 33 minutes. Rodgers released Forrest down the right and his cutback seemed to set up Dean Richardson for a crack on goal but Cramb took the ball his foot and the chance was lost.

But they only had to wait seven more minutes to hit the front. Derek Ure fed Rodgers quickly wide on the right and his perfectly-judged cross was met by an equally perfect back post header from Cramb from inside the six yard box.

Three minutes later Graham was on the end of a lightning break and, despite the attention of both Montrose central defenders, still managed to get his shot off and Kelly had to look smart to save.

The crowd were still settling in their seats for the start of the second half when Shire struck again. Derek Ure ended a mazy run with a pass to Cramb who was fouled on the edge of the box by Keith Gibson. Cramb picked himself up off the plastic grass to strike the 20 yard free kick high into the left-hand corner of Kelly’s net.

It didn’t take long for Shire to increase their advantage. 53 minutes were on the clock when another smart exchange of midfield passes ended with a brilliant through ball from Cramb which Graham strode onto before calmly slotting it past Kelly from eight yards.

The home fans were still celebrating that when Graham made it 4-0 barely 60 seconds later. The legwork was done by the tireless Rodgers who collected the ball on the right and ran in along the bye-line before hitting a low cross for Graham to tap the ball into the net at the back post.

That knocked the stuffing out of visitors and it could have been any number of goals for Shire after that. They notched a fifth goal on 63 minutes. Dunn’s corner found substitute Marc McKenzie at the edge of box who drilled in a low shot. It hit off Graham who gathered the ball before playing it into the path of Bolochochoweckyj who drilled it low into the net.

There could have been more goals. On 67 minutes Graham broke clear inside the Montrose box and fired an angled drive across goal from the edge of the six yard box which produced a stunning, full-length diving save from Kelly.

Eddie Forrest then sent a header goalwards from a Dunn corner kick But Kelly proved equal to keeping it out of the net. In the end, the final whistle couldn’t have come quick enough for Montrose.

SHIRE : Barclay, Kelly, Richardson, Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Tully, Graham, Dunn, Cramb(Krivokapic 81), Ure(Anderson 71), Rodgers(McKenzie 61).

MONTROSE : Kelly, McLaughlan, Buchan(Adams 57), Davidson, McLeod, Craig(Russell 57), Bradley, Gibson, Smith, Hunter, Black(Stewart 57).

REFEREE : A. Law

ATTENDANCE : 427.